NKU Eligible for A-Sun Championships in 2014-15 Season

MACON, Ga. – The Atlantic Sun Conference announced
Northern Kentucky University will be eligible for all conference
postseason championships for which their teams qualify starting
with the upcoming 2014-15 academic year.

Northern Kentucky recently completed its second year of NCAA
Division I reclassification after joining the A-Sun effective July
2012, and beginning conference competition in the 2012-13 season.
The Norse must still complete the four-year reclassification period
before becoming eligible for NCAA Championships, but the change
allows current student-athletes the opportunity to compete for a
conference postseason title.

"This is a moment to celebrate for all current student-athletes
at NKU, and the A-Sun is extremely proud to lead the way," stated
Commissioner Ted Gumbart.

For the past two seasons, NKU has competed at several A-Sun
Championships, being initially eligible in eight sports, including
men's and women's cross country, men's and women's indoor track
& field, men's and women's golf and men's & women's outdoor
track & field.

Beginning with this upcoming year's championships, the Norse may
qualify for the remainder of the A-Sun Tournaments, including men's
& women's soccer, volleyball, men's & women's basketball,
men's & women's tennis, softball and baseball. If NKU captures
a conference postseason championship, the A-Sun's automatic
qualification (AQ) bid to the NCAA Championship will be awarded to
the other A‑Sun Tournament finalist.

"This is tremendous news for all of our student-athletes and
coaches," said NKU Athletics Director Ken Bothof. "Since my arrival
here at NKU, the ability to participate in postseason play is
something that has continued to be a point of discussion. This is a
wonderful opportunity to enhance the student-athlete experience.
There are many conferences that discuss the importance of the
student-athlete experience; the Atlantic Sun continues to show
leadership in such discussions. The Commissioner and our fellow
members have not only done a great job of communicating the
importance of our student-athletes, they have also demonstrated a
willingness to support them as well."

The change in A-Sun policy arose after NCAA clarification that a
conference may set specific criteria allowing its highest ranked
finisher to be the AQ recipient if a non-eligible team were to
participate and win the conference postseason tournament. Prior
policy had determined that the conference would lose its AQ if an
ineligible team won the tournament.

The A-Sun and its eight member institutions seized the
opportunity to refine the conference's postseason AQ criteria to
immediately allow NKU student-athletes full opportunity to qualify
for and participate in all A-Sun Championships.

"For us it became a simple issue of include or exclude,"
Commissioner Gumbart stated. "Consistent with our Core Values, we
unanimously chose to include."

The A-Sun has consistently integrated new conference members
into full participation in all aspects of conference membership at
the earliest point possible for the strongest and quickest growth
of the programs. The proven record of success is reflected as the
four most recent additions to the A-Sun have made their mark in the
NCAA Championships.

Florida Gulf Coast University earned national distinction when
it became the first 15 seed to advance to the Sweet Sixteen in the
men's basketball championship in 2013; Kennesaw State celebrated
this spring when it won the Tallahassee regional and advanced to
the Super Regional in baseball; USC Upstate brought its
nationally-ranked softball program to the NCAA tournament with an
at-large berth this spring and knocked off South Alabama; North
Florida has enjoyed national rankings in men's golf and celebrated
an NCAA Regional Championship in 2013.

"I am very pleased that all of our student-athletes will now be
eligible to participate in Atlantic Sun Conference championships,"
said NKU President Geoffrey Mearns. "I am grateful to the other
presidents for supporting this initiative, and I am grateful to
Commissioner Gumbart for his leadership."

The 2014-15 Atlantic Sun Conference Championship Season begins
Nov. 1 with men's and women's cross country and the opening round
of the women's soccer championship.